'Disappointing!' Lane Kiffin Sounds Off on Ole Miss' Lack of Night SEC Games in 2024

The Ole Miss Rebels will not have a night kickoff at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium during conference play this season.

Oct 26, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin talks with an official after a flag during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The No. 19 Ole Miss Rebels are currently focused on their upcoming battle against the Arkansas Razorbacks, but some news broke on Monday that forced head coach Lane Kiffin to look a little into the future on the football schedule.

It was then that the Southeastern Conference revealed the kickoff time and television designation for next week's Ole Miss game against the Georgia Bulldogs, one that holds a 2:30 p.m. CT start time on ABC. That's not a bad time slot, but it does solidify that the Rebels will not have a single home conference game this season start in the night window.

On Monday, Kiffin was asked whether or not playing at night as its advantages over playing in the day, and he was brutally honest with his thoughts, even taking a shot at the LSU Tigers in the process.

"I think that's proven over time in the NFL and college," Kiffin said. "Playing at night in electric atmospheres is a home field advantage, and it's tough as an opposing team."

"Who went at night? LSU gets to play at night again, I guess? Shocker. That's 2-for-2 for them."

The Rebels, of course, had to go to Tiger Stadium for a night kickoff two weeks ago, a game that they lost in overtime in front of a raucous LSU crowd. The Tigers are famous for their nighttime game environments, and they will be hosting the Alabama Crimson Tide at 6:30 p.m. CT on Nov. 9.

LSU's time placement wasn't Kiffin's biggest gripe, however. He made sure to say how disheartened he was for Ole Miss fans that they don't get to experience a night conference game in 2024, including the final home game of the year on Black Friday against the Mississippi State Bulldogs (2:30 p.m. CT).

"I feel bad for our fans to not have one night conference game," Kiffin said. "It's really unfortunate for them. It's just really disappointing, but it is what it is."

For now, Kiffin's focus is on Saturday's road trip to Arkansas. Kickoff in that game is also early, coming at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.